Illuminated sign.



J. swmxssom. ILLUMINATED SIGN. APPLIGATION FILED SEPT. 22. 1905 966,267.. Patented Aug. 2, 1910.

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ILLUMINATED SIGN.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Aug. 2, 1910.

Application filed September 22, 1909. Serial No. 518,992.

To all whom 'it may concern:

Be it known that I, JOHN SwENssoN, a subject of the King of Sweden, and residing at New Y0rk,'in the county of New York and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Illuminated Signs, of which the following is a specification, such as will enable those skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

This invention relates to signs, particularly to that class known as illuminated,and employing electricity, preferably, as the source of light, and the object thereof is to provide such a sign which is very attractive and calculated to hold attention.

A further object is to provide a sign of this class which does not require a plurality of lamps for each character or design, but which requires only a suflicient number to illuminate the sign interiort A further object is to provide desired characters or designs formed of lenses or prisms through which the light passes, outintensified' degree by its passage therethrough.

A further object is to provide means for producing different color effects at intervals at difierent points of the surface of the sign.

A further object is to provide movable parts whereby portions of the sign surface are eclipsed at intervals, thus producing a flickering effect.

A further object is to provide means for actuating said movable parts in different and desired directions and at desired speed, whereby apparently complex results are produced; and a still further object is to provide a sign of this class which is very simple in construction and not likely to get out of order, which is very economical inuse, and which is comparatively inexpensive in construction and installation.

My invention is fully described in the following specification, of which the accompanying drawings form a part, in which the separate parts are designated by the same reference characters in each of the views, and in.which:

Figure 1 is an elevation of one side of a sign constructed according to one'form of embodiment of my invention; Fig. 2 is an edge view thereof; Fig. 3 is a longitudinal,

sectional, view thereof ;-and Fig. 4 is a transverse, sectional, view thereof.

In the drawings forming a part of this application I have shown a preferred form of embodiment of my invention, consistmg of a casing a provided with a plurality of lenses or prisms a in the surface thereof and arranged, on the faces of the .casing, in concentric circles b, b and b and on the edge of the casing in rows 6 extendlng around the periphery thereof, said lenses being preferably composed of colorless material but they may be colored if des1red, and at b and b I arrange the lenses in the form of letters painted or otherwise portrayed upon the casing surface and comprising any desired text.

IVithin the casing a is a motor 0 connected with a pinion c at each end of a shaft 0 and which are enmeshed with an internal gear 0 on a ring 0 provided also with an external gear 0 on each side of the casing, said internal gear being the means for rotation of the rings 0 and the external gears being engaged with idler pinions c in turnengaging internal gears 03 on rings 03 connected by means of a peripheral plate (Z provided avith a plurality of openings d therethrough arranged in rows corresponding to the lens rows 6*, and the rings 0 and 03 (Z of a predetermined size and number, and through Which light from lamps e and e is adapted to pass and thence through the lenses, the solid portions of the said rings serving as shutters for eclipsing the light.

In operation, the rings 0 and d revolve in opposite directions and the lenses in the circles b and b are uncovered successively in corresponding directions, Whereas, in the form shown, the light is constant through the lenses of the circle 6 thus producing an alternate moving and motionless effectinthe said circles and, in the ring movement. the openings (1* permit light to pass through the lenses of corresponding rows in the casing periphery successively, the said openings being arranged in such manner as to produce different results on contl uous lens rows, whereby a complex flickering is accomplished.

In practice, the lamps e and e are ferently colored and are alternately energized by means of any suitable device at present employed, and I prefer also to make the lamps of the heat-flash? typewhereby the flickering of light diffusion is ncreased and economy of operation results and by means of the movable parts my sign 1s made .plurality lenses therein, means for illuminating said very attractive and is comparatively inex- Letters Patent, is

1. A sign, comprising a casing having a plurality of predeterminedly arranged lenses therein, means for illuminating said casing interiorly, and a revolving ring having openings therein for intermittently per- .mitting light to pass through said lenses.

2. A sign, comprising a casing having a plurality of predeterminedly arranged lenses therein, means for illuminating said casing interiorly, and rings revolving in diflterent directions andprovided with openings for permitting light to pass through said lenses, intermittently.

3. A sign, comprising a casing having a of predeterminedly arranged casing interiorly, rings geared together serving as shutters for closing off light to said lenses, intermittently, and means for actuating said rings.

4. A sign, comprising a casing having a plurality oflenses arranged in concentric circles, means for illuminating said casing interiorly, means for closing off lightfrom said lenses, intermittently, and supplemental lenses arranged in the form of letters, in constant light position.

5. A sign, comprising a casing having a plurality of lenses arranged in concentric c1rcles, means for illuminating said casmg interiorly, means for closing off light from said lenses, intermittently, and supplemental lenses arranged in predetermined design within said circles. r

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my invention I have signed my name in presence of. the subscribing witnesses this 21st day of September, 1909. I

JOHN SWENSSON. Witnesses:

GEORGE'F. BENTLEY, J. C. LARsEN. 

